iBook Price Drops

macrumors 601

ThinkSecret has reported that the new iBooks will cost only $999!
This sounds great... but how can Apple have a laptop for under 1000 and not a (current) desktop under 1000? I think we will be seeing the starting emac price drop to $999 as well. Any thoughts?

thread startermacrumors 601

The info thinksecret gave for the 999 ibook was 12.1'' screen, 700mhz g3, and normal CD-ROM.
I agree 999 sounds like its pushing it, but if it IS true, i dont see how Apple can possible have a laptop at that price and not drop either the G4 iMac or the eMac to that price.

macrumors regular

I doubt the eMac will go anywhere. If there are problems with it then they will be fixed. At the price point it is going for too many teachers love it due to the durable glass tube monitor aspect of it.

The ibook prices on the other hand if true are very nice and should spur some spending for X-mas.

macrumors 65816

Originally posted by daRAT I think the eMac will go away, and good ridance. Problems with the screen (video) and it is way to noisy.

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The eMac is noisy? I don't think so. Everytime I walk into the school's eMac lab (with 16 eMac's), it's as quite as can be. You could here a pin drop in there before you would hear a hard drive or a fan spinning.

The problems will be fixed, and Apple will continue selling them. The deal is way too good for educators. An iBook under $1000 is a great idea. Maybe Apple will start offering cheaper iBooks for education. That would rock!

Retired

Originally posted by Chaszmyr ThinkSecret has reported that the new iBooks will cost only $999!
This sounds great... but how can Apple have a laptop for under 1000 and not a (current) desktop under 1000? I think we will be seeing the starting emac price drop to $999 as well. Any thoughts?

macrumors 6502

umm, i know that to do with a car this is illegal but is it illegal to buy an apple ibook in oregon, but live in Washington St. i ama student and if i could save 100-200 dollars that would be great. anyone know the legalities surrounding this?

macrumors newbie

i recently was thinking about buying an iBook...and i went to the applestore, the guy was tellign me that i could either get an i book with cd-rom or with combo...and he said that those 2 are the only options that i had...but then , while i was there i went to the online applestore to fidn that they were offering iBook with DVD-ROM only (not combo)...the apple store guy was as surprised as i was...
how new is this dvd-rom drive...and why dont any other apple resellers have DVD-ROM (macmall sed they stopped sellign the DVD-Rom 6 months ago...) should i still get the DVD-ROM (since i dont want combo)
really would apreciate reply soon
thanks
-sahil

macrumors member

umm, i know that to do with a car this is illegal but is it illegal to buy an apple ibook in oregon, but live in Washington St. i ama student and if i could save 100-200 dollars that would be great. anyone know the legalities surrounding this?

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It is legal. If Washington St. were to make it illegal that would be restraining interstate trade which would be unconstitutional. Sales tax on mail ordered items should also be unconstitutional, however because disclosure is voluntary and the amounts are small, I don't think anyone has challenged it court.

For cars you have to license the car in Washington if live in Washington and want to drive it in Washington. You can buy it anywhere you want.

macrumors god

Staff Member

Originally posted by sahil and why dont any other apple resellers have DVD-ROM (macmall sed they stopped sellign the DVD-Rom 6 months ago...) should i still get the DVD-ROM (since i dont want combo)
really would apreciate reply soon
thanks
-sahil

macrumors regular

Throughout this entire thread, I haven't seen anyone mention the possibility of the PowerBook Prices being dropped, at least a little. I don't think we'll see a PowerBook under $2000, but with prices (according to ThinkSecret), I think it's definitely possible to see at least a $200 price drop across the board on the TiBook.

On a different note, I do like the fact that Apple puts really versitile drives in their portables. I mean every portable (except the low-end iBook) has a combo drive. I you go to most competitors, they still offer cd-rw, dvd-rom, or just a plain-jane cd-rom (on a base configuration, of course).

macrumors 6502a

It is legal. If Washington St. were to make it illegal that would be restraining interstate trade which would be unconstitutional. Sales tax on mail ordered items should also be unconstitutional, however because disclosure is voluntary and the amounts are small, I don't think anyone has challenged it court.

For cars you have to license the car in Washington if live in Washington and want to drive it in Washington. You can buy it anywhere you want.

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Yes it is legal to do that as you said. But the taxes are another thing. Normally it's fine because we usually get away with it, but if you have done this, and the IRS decides to audit you, you are in deep, deep trouble.

macrumors 6502a

Originally posted by animefan_1 Throughout this entire thread, I haven't seen anyone mention the possibility of the PowerBook Prices being dropped, at least a little. I don't think we'll see a PowerBook under $2000, but with prices (according to ThinkSecret), I think it's definitely possible to see at least a $200 price drop across the board on the TiBook.

On a different note, I do like the fact that Apple puts really versitile drives in their portables. I mean every portable (except the low-end iBook) has a combo drive. I you go to most competitors, they still offer cd-rw, dvd-rom, or just a plain-jane cd-rom (on a base configuration, of course).

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I think so too. This is going to be such a dull upgrade, just like the iBook, I can't help but think we're getting lower prices. So to everyone whining because steve isn't going to wow them, shut up because the rest of us want lower prices instead!

macrumors newbie

I went to the apple store and went through the motions of buying the ibook, and when I got past the accessories screen and the software screen, there was an Apple loan graphic in the upper right hand corner that said "ibooks from $999". Do the same with powerbooks and it says "from $2299". Is this an early look at the price drop or a reference to refurb or educational pricing? (BTW, imac, emac and powermac loan graphics all have the current prices).

macrumors regular

Yes it is legal to do that as you said. But the taxes are another thing. Normally it's fine because we usually get away with it, but if you have done this, and the IRS decides to audit you, you are in deep, deep trouble.

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If the IRS decides to audit you whatever you did on sales tax won't make a difference. There is no federal sales tax that they collect through the point of sale.

macrumors 604

I don't believe we will be seeing a 700 MHz g3 for $999 from apple. Apple has never priced compitively, and I doubt they are planning on starting to... Apple just overprices their goods, I'm not complaining, just stating a fact.

macrumors member

Originally posted by detroit there was an Apple loan graphic in the upper right hand corner that said "ibooks from $999". Do the same with powerbooks and it says "from $2299"... (BTW, imac, emac and powermac loan graphics all have the current prices).

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Yep. Somone screwed up, and we do know that Apple is dropping the price of all there portables by 200. This is not a reference to the education pricing (which is only 50-100 less). Maybe I need a PowerBook.

macrumors G5

Yes it is legal to do that as you said. But the taxes are another thing. Normally it's fine because we usually get away with it, but if you have done this, and the IRS decides to audit you, you are in deep, deep trouble.

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It fall under state taxes, and how your state handles the out of state purchases - usually a use tax of some sort, anything from magazine subs to cars.

California's credit card system gets a lot of use for establishing CAs definition of residency.

The out-of-state purchases are a big bonus - gives them a big stick with which to whack you. Because of the public nature of credit cards, they know a heck of a lot about you BEFORE taking you to court and getting all your records.

Big minus, it also works for the IRS to establish estimates of your income - or if you're tapping an off-shore account through a credit card. (Visa/MC/etc already are coughing up some of your records to the IRS).

REMEMBER - The recent downfall of a corporate officer started with NY state use taxes on purchases, then his problems snowballed.

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